Umbrella.



PATENTED FEB. 5. 1907.

W. E. MOULTON.

UMBRELLA. APPLIOATION FILED JULYB, 1906.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER E. MOULTON, OF PLAIN CIlY, OI'lIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE MOULTON WIRELESS UMBRELLA COVPANY, OF PIAIN CITY, OHIO, A CORPORA- TION OF OHIO.

UMBRELLA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 5, 1907.

Application filed July 5, 1906. Serial No. 324,807.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER E. MoUL'roN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Plain City, in the county of Madison and. State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Umbrellas, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention pertains to .top notches for umbrellas, the construction and advantages of which will be hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompany ing drawings.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient top notch into which the ribs may be readily introduced and as read ily withdrawn one at a time or sinmltaneously, as maybe desired.

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the upper portion of the staff and the top notch sec ured thereto; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3, a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3 of Fig. 2 Fig. I, an edge viewof the spring Gulployed to hold the removable member of the notch in place; Fig. 5, a side elevation of the spring; and Fig. 6,9. side elevation of a portion of the staff, showing the slot through which the upper portion of the retainingspring protrudes.

Referring to the drawings, A denotes the staff formed as a hollow metallic tube, as now usual in umbrella construction. Secured to the staff is the upper fixed member of the notch, comprising a tubular or cylin drieal portion B, through which the rivet or securing-pin C is passed, and an enlarged body portion D, provided with a series of equally-spaced slots E. Sockets F for the reception of the heads G of the ribs II are formed in the body portion by drilling from the lower side thereof directly in line with the slots.

A sleeve I is mounted upon the staff below the fixed member, said sleeve being provided at its upper end with an outwardly-projcct ing flange or body portion J, having a series of radiallydisposed slots K formed therein, said slots being the same in number as the slots in the upper or fixed member. The flanged portion J is also formed or provided with a notch or recess L, Figs. 2 and 3, which when the tubular member is rotated. comes into alinement with one of the ribs and per mits the same to be withdrawn without disengaging or permitting the other ribs to move from their sockets.

The stall is provided with an elongated slot M, and a spring N, having a thumb-piece O, a locking projection P, and an upwardlyextending finger Q, is mounted within the staff. The lower end of the spring is riveted or secured in place at a point somewhat below the slot M, so that the thumb-piece O and projection P will normally extend through the slot M, the projection P entering a slot R, formed in the sleeve I, when the sleeve or removable member of the top notch. is raised to the full extent and the opening therein brought in line with said projection P.

It will be noted upon reference to Figs. 1 and 5 that the thumb-piece O extends outwardly beyond the projection P to quite a distance. This enables the operator to depress the spring so as to withdraw the projection P from the slot It without difficulty, and at the same time the upper face of the thumb-piece will retain the sleeve from endwise movement and permit the same to be rotated about the staff in order to bring the recess .11 into alinement with any one of the rib-heads.

If it be desired to move the sleeve I endwise, this may be done by depressing the spring, so that the sleeve will ride over the thumb-piece, when, of course, any or all of the ribs may be removed. It is usually desirable, however, to remove only one rib at a time.

The upwardly-projecting finger Q bears against the inner face of the staff, as will be seen upon reference to Fig. l, and serves to stiffen the spring and prevent it from buckling, and thereby withdrawing the projection P from the slot or recess It.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In combination with an umbrella-staff; a member fixed thereto, said member being provided with a series of radially-disposed slots, and a series of sockets formed in the under face of said member in line with the slots; a slotted retaining member mounted on the staff below the fixed member, said retaining member being formed with an opening in its side wall; and a retaining-spring mounted within the staff, said spring having a locking projection in line with the openingv and likewise piovided with a thumb-piece which extends outwardly beyond the retaina spring located within the staff, said spring ing member and locking projection, whereby being formed with a locking projection adaptthe spring may be moved inward by pressure ed to enter a slot in the retaining member, on the thumb-piece and the retaining memi and with a second projection or finger-piece 5 ber released so as to permit rotary movement l which projects beyond the lower end of the thereof. i retainer, whereby the retaining member may 2. In combination with an umbrella-staff be freed so that it may be rotated while held a member fixed thereto, said member being j against longitudinal movement. provided with a series of radially-disposed i In testimony whereof I have signed my 10 slots, and a series of sockets in its under face j name to this specification in the presence of in line with the slots; a retaining member two subscribing witnesses. slidably mounted upon the staff below the WALTER E. MOULTON.

fixed member, said retaining member being WVitnesses: formed with a series of radial slots and with ETHEL A. RIOKARD, I 5 an opening for withdrawal of a rib end; and W. F. KNIGHT. 

